A/N: I'm mixing a bit of the book and movie here again regarding Moria.
The description of Mirkwood comes from "The Hobbit".
****
When it became light enough to see, she slowly stood up and stretched. Her behind was numb from sitting on the ground for so long and her muscles were stiff and cold. She removed her cloak and shook off the dead leaves that had fallen on it in the night. There was no time to waste and she wanted to get as far as possible before night fell. Grabbing a piece of Lembas and her water from her pack, she prepared herself to leave. She could eat while she walked.
The muscles in her legs ached making it hard for her to move very fast. The increasing coldness of the place did nothing to help the situation, either. She stumbled along, trying to get her muscles warm and loose so she could move more quickly but she was having a difficult go of it. After several minutes of staggering, her body had finally warmed up to the point where she could move more fluidly and she trotted along the path, relieved to be on her way again.
The creatures that had grown restless in the night were silent now in the dim light. Annowe looked around for any signs of snakes or spiders as she trotted along the path. She was hopeful that one of her cousins or one of the elves would have ventured this far a field and would accompany her to the Halls of the Elven King but she doubted it. It was too late in the season for them to be about. The Elves would be tucked away in their halls enjoying the wine from the south and the Dryads would be slumbering until spring. Or until Deka woke them (if she agreed to).
A snake slithered across the path in front of her and she instinctively jumped and cried out in fright. As if the spiders, wolves, bats and giant moths weren't enough to worry about! She shivered and hurried past the place the snake had been.
Overhead, the tree canopy groaned in the wind, laden with thick spiders' webs. The days were becoming dimmer deep in the forest and Annowe wondered how long she could endure the frightful place without going mad or being set upon by the nefarious creatures. She feared that soon they would grow bold and she would have no way to defend herself from an onslaught.
With that thought in her mind, she sat her pack down and removed her circlet and the pillowcase. If the things did attack, she would need every weapon at her disposal and that included using her pack as a weapon if necessary. The circlet and pillowcase she put on her belt for safe keeping and situated her short knife within easy reach. Shouldering her pack, she continued on her way feeling only slightly more at ease.
She missed Legs terribly and wondered where he was now. If she could reach her cousins in time perhaps they would able to occupy Curunir's attention, allowing the Fellowship to slip south of Isengard undetected. She hoped that was the way they were heading. Crossing the Misty Mountains at this time of the year was treacherous at best. She had barely made it over the High Pass herself and there weren't many crossings that she knew of south of Rivendell.
At the thought of him, she touched his comb through her pouch again. Perhaps at the Enchanted River she would stop and take a touch of its waters, just to see him again.
*****
Legolas was emotionally exhausted from the fighting and loss of Gandalf in Moria. Even now he could not believe the wizard had fallen battling the Balrog. The Hobbits had been beside themselves with grief and terror, making him fear that they may try and turn back. But Aragorn had pushed them forward, not even allowing them time to gather their wits despite Boromir's protests. Legolas had felt pity for the four but he knew Aragorn was right to get them out of the mines as quickly as possible. There would be plenty of time to grieve once they were safe.
They had fled the mine in dread, finally reaching the outside before they stopped to regroup. Legolas breathed deeply of the fresh air and was thankful to be out of that terrible place and to feel the wind on his face. He'd never felt so shocked and terrified in his life. Gandalf had fallen! The wizard's death and the pain of the Hobbits coupled with Gimli's impotent rage at the situation had overwhelmed his emotions.
He had never felt so helpless before and it confused him. He had not been able to help Gandalf. Stunned, he looked around in a daze trying to control the torrent of emotions that raged in him. Pain, fear, anger and grief all fought for his attention and he could not separate one from the other.
"You must steel your tender heart," Annowe's words came back to him. He thought he had steeled it but now understood her words. She had tried to warn him but he could not even grasp the horror and the pain of it. So much he did not know despite his age. How much more would he see before this was finished?
Aragorn's voice cut through his haze. They had to leave. They had to get to safety. Like an elf in a trance, Legolas moved to help the hobbits and get them to safety. Lorien, Aragorn was taking them to Lorien for help, he realized.
Galadriel would take them in and give them shelter. There would be safety and rest in Lorien. Perhaps she would be able to offer them guidance as well as shelter. They would need some wise words to hearten them after the loss of the wizard.
The discouraged band hurried across the plain and made for the safety of Lorien.
*****
****
When it became light enough to see, she slowly stood up and stretched. Her behind was numb from sitting on the ground for so long and her muscles were stiff and cold. She removed her cloak and shook off the dead leaves that had fallen on it in the night. There was no time to waste and she wanted to get as far as possible before night fell. Grabbing a piece of Lembas and her water from her pack, she prepared herself to leave. She could eat while she walked.
The muscles in her legs ached making it hard for her to move very fast. The increasing coldness of the place did nothing to help the situation, either. She stumbled along, trying to get her muscles warm and loose so she could move more quickly but she was having a difficult go of it. After several minutes of staggering, her body had finally warmed up to the point where she could move more fluidly and she trotted along the path, relieved to be on her way again.
The creatures that had grown restless in the night were silent now in the dim light. Annowe looked around for any signs of snakes or spiders as she trotted along the path. She was hopeful that one of her cousins or one of the elves would have ventured this far a field and would accompany her to the Halls of the Elven King but she doubted it. It was too late in the season for them to be about. The Elves would be tucked away in their halls enjoying the wine from the south and the Dryads would be slumbering until spring. Or until Deka woke them (if she agreed to).
A snake slithered across the path in front of her and she instinctively jumped and cried out in fright. As if the spiders, wolves, bats and giant moths weren't enough to worry about! She shivered and hurried past the place the snake had been.
Overhead, the tree canopy groaned in the wind, laden with thick spiders' webs. The days were becoming dimmer deep in the forest and Annowe wondered how long she could endure the frightful place without going mad or being set upon by the nefarious creatures. She feared that soon they would grow bold and she would have no way to defend herself from an onslaught.
With that thought in her mind, she sat her pack down and removed her circlet and the pillowcase. If the things did attack, she would need every weapon at her disposal and that included using her pack as a weapon if necessary. The circlet and pillowcase she put on her belt for safe keeping and situated her short knife within easy reach. Shouldering her pack, she continued on her way feeling only slightly more at ease.
She missed Legs terribly and wondered where he was now. If she could reach her cousins in time perhaps they would able to occupy Curunir's attention, allowing the Fellowship to slip south of Isengard undetected. She hoped that was the way they were heading. Crossing the Misty Mountains at this time of the year was treacherous at best. She had barely made it over the High Pass herself and there weren't many crossings that she knew of south of Rivendell.
At the thought of him, she touched his comb through her pouch again. Perhaps at the Enchanted River she would stop and take a touch of its waters, just to see him again.
*****
Legolas was emotionally exhausted from the fighting and loss of Gandalf in Moria. Even now he could not believe the wizard had fallen battling the Balrog. The Hobbits had been beside themselves with grief and terror, making him fear that they may try and turn back. But Aragorn had pushed them forward, not even allowing them time to gather their wits despite Boromir's protests. Legolas had felt pity for the four but he knew Aragorn was right to get them out of the mines as quickly as possible. There would be plenty of time to grieve once they were safe.
They had fled the mine in dread, finally reaching the outside before they stopped to regroup. Legolas breathed deeply of the fresh air and was thankful to be out of that terrible place and to feel the wind on his face. He'd never felt so shocked and terrified in his life. Gandalf had fallen! The wizard's death and the pain of the Hobbits coupled with Gimli's impotent rage at the situation had overwhelmed his emotions.
He had never felt so helpless before and it confused him. He had not been able to help Gandalf. Stunned, he looked around in a daze trying to control the torrent of emotions that raged in him. Pain, fear, anger and grief all fought for his attention and he could not separate one from the other.
"You must steel your tender heart," Annowe's words came back to him. He thought he had steeled it but now understood her words. She had tried to warn him but he could not even grasp the horror and the pain of it. So much he did not know despite his age. How much more would he see before this was finished?
Aragorn's voice cut through his haze. They had to leave. They had to get to safety. Like an elf in a trance, Legolas moved to help the hobbits and get them to safety. Lorien, Aragorn was taking them to Lorien for help, he realized.
Galadriel would take them in and give them shelter. There would be safety and rest in Lorien. Perhaps she would be able to offer them guidance as well as shelter. They would need some wise words to hearten them after the loss of the wizard.
The discouraged band hurried across the plain and made for the safety of Lorien.
*****